Minnesota Candidates Use Bus Tours Before Election Day, KSTP Reports
Minnesota candidates crisscrossed the state on bus tours Saturday, pushing to turn supporter energy into votes with the midterm elections just three days away, KSTP reported.
Bus Tours Target St. Cloud, Rochester, and Beyond
With statewide offices on the ballot, candidates from both major political parties spent the weekend traveling across Minnesota. DFL candidates made stops in St. Cloud, Fergus Falls, Moorhead, and White Earth. Meanwhile, Republican candidates visited Owatonna, Rochester, Winona, and Hastings.
DFL candidates also gathered for an outdoor rally in Rochester. That’s what you need to do in these next four days, you need to run for the ticket,
said DFL gubernatorial candidate Senator Amy Klobuchar during the event.
Republican candidates wrapped up their own bus tour in Hastings. We’ll turn this state around and be working for you the people of Minnesota,
said Lisa Demuth, the Republican candidate for governor.
Poll Numbers Shape the Final Weekend Push
The latest 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS/SurveyUSA poll shows Klobuchar leading Demuth by 12 points in the governor’s race. In the U.S. Senate race, the survey shows Democrat Peggy Flanagan ahead of Republican Michelle Tafoya by seven points. Candidates are relying on personal contact to drive turnout before polls close, despite questions about whether road trips change minds.
Well, these road shows are not changing anyone’s mind about who to vote for, but they are trying to mobilize supporters,
explained Kathryn Pearson, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota.
Voters on the ground noted the distinct value of face-to-face campaigning. Of course, yeah, for sure,
said Monique Crisp, from Hastings, when asked if seeing a candidate in person encourages voting. That’s just how it is. It’s different, you get a real energy. You know someone’s not fake, it makes a difference.
Mobilizing Voters Before Election Day
Both parties are focused on ensuring their bases cast ballots. The DFL and Republicans want to make sure their voters are going to get out of their house, cast a ballot. So the idea is to gin excitement,
said Larry Jacobs, another political science professor at the University of Minnesota.
With every seat in the Minnesota House and Senate up for grabs alongside majority control, candidates from both parties planned additional campaign stops across multiple cities on Sunday. Voters should expect candidates to remain fully engaged in their races all the way to Election Day.